Can I Have Live Music at my Wedding?
Written by The Function Hub - Information Correct as of 01/06/2021
The question on a lot of brides and grooms’ lips, as wedding receptions start to return to normal, is “Can we have a band?”. On the 27th of May 2021 it was announced that Live Music can be played at music venues, bars, pubs, cafes, restaurants and licensed premises.
The guidance for weddings are slightly different, but here is all you need to know about whether or not you can book live music for your wedding:
Four Kicks Wedding Band
Can I have a live band at my wedding this year?
Yes, you can have a band perform at your wedding.
The Welsh Government states that “loud music, be it recorded or played live, should be avoided during the ceremony or reception”.
This does not rule out the use of a live band completely.
The guidance implies that live bands can perform at your ceremony or reception, as long as they are used as background music at a reasonable sound level to discourage dancing & singing from the crowd. Although you can still book a full live band, the restrictions might not be ideal for those of us who love to sing and dance.
Saying this, there are other ways to enjoy live music at your wedding.
Sam from Three Strikes & Southpaw
If a full band seems ‘a bit much’ for your event at the moment, The Function Hub offers duos and trios that are perfect alternatives to a full live band. Duos like Southpaw and Bryn & Tomos offer you the ideal unplugged background set full of timeless classics and the latest hits.
Our smaller bands like Three Strikes and Wrapped Up can adapt their performance and sound to suit the current guidelines and any type of venue.
Most solo musicians are also allowed, so you can have a pianist, harpist, cellist or acoustic guitarist at your ceremony or reception.
There are separate guidelines for musicians to adhere to while performing which includes guidance on masks, social distancing and proximity to guests. These can be found here:
https://gov.wales/rehearsing-performing-and-taking-part-performing-arts-guidance-phased-return-html
Frequently Asked Questions
The 1965 Wedding Band
Can we sing along to the music?
No, this is discouraged. Here is the Welsh Government guidance on live music & singing:
“Accompanying music should be played in a way that does not encourage guests to sing along, shout or to raise voices to maintain conversation as these are high risk activities. "
Can I have a first dance?
Yes, you can have a first dance but it must only include the couple, and no other guests.
Here is the Welsh Government guidance on live music & dancing:
“No dancing should be allowed during the reception but a specific exception can be made to allow a ‘first dance’, for the couple themselves. The parameters for this should be that appropriate social distancing between the couple and guests should be possible during the dance.”
Can I book a DJ?
DJs can be booked to play music at a reasonable sound level similarly to live bands.
Do band members/musicians count toward the number of guests?
As per the guidance for weddings in Alert Level 2, suppliers including musicians do not count towards the 30/50 guests maximum for indoor/outdoor receptions. However if your reception is indoors, you cannot have more people inside the venue as is permissible with social distancing measures in place.
Conclusion
The main thing to take away from the guidance is that there is nothing explicitly saying that you can't have a band or DJ at your wedding, as long as the sound level is controlled. Couples, venues and suppliers should also be making an effort to keep everything as safe as possible.
Disclaimer
These are the guidelines given by the Welsh Government through the gov.wales website and are not a representation of North Wales Weddings’ opinions.
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Got any questions? Feel free to get in touch and we’ll point you in the right direction.